How a 77 12 months outdated turned into the primary Filipino to commute the arena?
On the age of 77, Odette Aquitania Ricasa turned into the primary Filipino so to commute to all 195 nations on the planet, 193 of which can be identified via the United Countries, whilst the opposite 2 are non-members: the Holy sea and the State of Palestine.
Earlier than the pandemic began in 2020, she used to be handiest 5 nations in need of attaining her purpose. Those nations are Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic, Libya, and Iraq.
After all, at the twenty fifth of August 2022, after being held for 2 years on account of the pandemic, Ms. Ricasa achieved the purpose of many vacationers – to commute to each nation on the planet! She arrived in Kurdistan, Iraq, on Thursday, making it the closing nation on her record.
Total, she has been to 301 nations and territories, together with islands! Even the ones islands that don’t seem to be recognized via many, together with Robinson Crusoe islands, Lakshadweep islands, Andaman Nicobar islands, and extra!
How It All Began
Ms. Ricasa is based totally in Los Angeles, California and she or he began the adventure of touring the arena within the 12 months 1980. She shared that some nations, together with Russia, had very strict laws relating to tourism throughout the ones occasions. On the other hand, that didn’t prevent her from exploring increasingly nations.
Memorable Commute Reports
Ms. Ricasa has two passports – the Philippines and the USA. She basically makes use of her US Passport, however she discussed that during some instances, the use of her Philippines passport is perfect.
Such a instances goes to Africa. Each US and Philippines passport holders desire a visa in an effort to commute to this continent, however the use of her US passport calls for extra paperwork than the use of her Philippine passport.
When requested what have been a few of her unforgettable stories in her greater than 40 years of touring, she mentioned there have been so much, however her talk over with to Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo, each African nations, are unforgettable. The mentioned nations don’t seem to be in style locations for vacationers, and throughout her talk over with, she used to be on my own. However because the announcing is going, ‘You will have to do the object which you assume you can’t do.’ And he or she did; she conquered Africa and the remainder of the arena!
She additionally discussed that after they arrived in Libya simply this 12 months, they felt like they have been VIPs as there used to be numerous safety escorting them. However this sort of distinctive enjoy is what motivates her to commute extra.
In her 4 many years of touring, 80% of the ones is her touring on my own, whilst the remaining 20% is a bunch excursion (which she joined when she used to be only a amateur within the commute global)—speaking about bravery, interest, and exuberance!
Extra Achievements
Ms. Ricasa is certainly commute knowledgeable as she may be a member of the Vacationers’ Century Membership, A membership that handiest lets in the ones individuals who had been to 100 or extra nations!
Additionally, she’s additionally an energetic member of the Philippine International Explorers commute group, and she or he heads the USA West Coast bankruptcy, doing this whilst touring.
Except for being a traveler and the primary Filipino to commute the arena, she may be an writer of 6 books, an artist, a motivational speaker, and a pianist.
She discussed that having her e book used to be in reality now not her thought. It used to be early 2000, and she or he used to be in Spain writing her commute stories in her magazine – “With all of the nations and towns I’ve been to, it’s unattainable for me to keep in mind them, that’s why I write them in my magazine.”, non-verbatim commentary of Ms. Ricasa.
Her pal, who used to be along with her at the moment, instructed her, “Why don’t you write a e book as an alternative?” That commentary gave her the theory to put in writing a commute e book and proportion her stories at the highway. Her books are all to be had on Amazon.
Ms. Odette Aquitania Ricasa’s commute enjoy is without doubt one of the inspiration of many vacationers, now not handiest Filipinos, however foreigners as smartly.
